Car door mechanism



OCI; 23, 1934. w E, wlNE 1,977,838

GAR Doon MEcHANIsM Filed April 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Kaff Oct 23, 1934.

W. E. WINE CAR DOOR MECHANISM Filed April 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED ksrri'rlazs wirENrY OFFICE can noon MEcHANisM y William E. Wine, Toledo, ohio Application April 28, 1928, Serial No. 273,746', iv claims. (ci. 10s- 308) j' 'l My invention relates to car door mechanism and more particularly to mechanism whereby the ldischarge of lading from the railway car may be regulated or controlled;

The principal object of the invention is to provide simple and reliable means serving to support the door in fully closed position and in a plurality of positions of partial closure.

A further object of the invention is to pro.- vide a car door mechanism of the type involving a pivoted member with means for maintaining the latter in an elevated or inoperative position.

A primary feature of the invention consists in associating with a lading discharge door of a railway car, mechanism for regulating the discharge of lading which involves a plurality of members alternately serving to support the door in a plurality of positions of partial closure. Y

Another feature of the invention consists in roviding a railway car having a lading discharge opening with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity and in associating therewith, mechanism for regulating the discharge of lading from the car involving movably mounted means and iixedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said movably mounted means comprising a plurality of members alternately engageable with said fixedly mounted means for successively supporting the door in a plurality of partial positions of closure.

A further feature of the invention consi-sts in combining with mechanism, comprising a plural# ity of movable members for maintaining the door j in a plurality of partial positions of closure to regulate the discharge of lading from the car;

meansA including a removable lever for alternately moving said members to inoperative posi-l tion to enable said door to successively assume Vdifferent positions of partial closure.

Astill further feature of the invention re' sides in constructing mechanism for supporting a gravity actuated railway dump door in a plurality of positions of closure, the mechanism involving a pivctally mounted member, with means engageable with said pivotally mounted member for maintaining Vit in an elevated inoperative position.

Other and more Vspeciiic features of the invention residing in advantageous constructions and combinations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating the invention: Figure l is a fragmentary vside elevational view of a hopper of a railway car and its coacting door showing the invention applied thereto, the door being in fully closed position. Figure 2 is a sectional View on line` 2'-j-2, Figure 1. i .l Figure 3v is a viewcorresponding tov Figurel, but showing the relationV of parts wheny the mechanism supports the door in one of a plurality of partial positions-of closure. i

Figure 4 is a detailfragmentary View illustrating thepivoted hooksin elevated position. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure `4 illustrating a slightly different arrangement for maintaining the hooks inl an elevated position. 1 j While the drawings illustrate a single Ihopper and the adjacent `edge of the coaeting door, it is to be understood that theconstruction is .duplicated onithe opposite side of the car and that the door illustrated is but one of `a pair of doors connected by a spreader or Vstiffening member, so as to swing as one. 1 In the drawings, 1 iswthe 'slopingside sheet of the hopper and Zindicates the swinging door for closing the discharge opening thereof. The door is securedv to the car body bysuitable hinges (not shown) so asy to swing to openA position under .the influence of gravity. i Mounted upon the outer facenof the :door-is a spreader or stiffening member 3 of anyl desired structural shape having one angee securedto the door, by rivets 5 and another flange 6 pro,- jecting outwardly therefrom.

'all'.

yRigidly secured to the outstanding. flange of v the doorV spreader, as by means of rivets'l,A is an arm or member 8 which isoffset at 9 Yto pass aroundltheisidel marginal iiange 10 of -the door so as to project outwardly therebeyond. 'The sidev sheet of' the hopper may be` conveniently formed vfwith -a flanged portion 11 to cooperate with the door and its marginal flangefor preventing the escape of lading from 4the hopperwhen the door is in fullyY closed position. Y

Vlivotally mounted on the hopper side sheetare a plurality of hooks 12 and 13, respectively, arranged seas to Swingin substantiallyparallel planes. Ag filler casting `1st-.may be advantageously interposed between the innerhook13 and the side of the hopper for spacing the hooks outwardly therefrom to enable them to clear the flange 11 thereof and to swing in planes parallel with the adjacent side edge ofthe door.V The filler casting 14 is preferably formed with a plate portion 15 and apertured lugs or bosses 16 projecting inwardly therefrom into engagementthe outer face of the hook 12 is a bracket or cover plate 17 which is also provided with inwardly apertured lugs or bosses 18 for maintaining the cover plate in spaced relation to the ller casting. The cover plate and filler casting 14 are rigidly secured to the hopper by rivets 19, 20 and 21 respectively, which pass through the corresponding apertured bosses or lugs of these parts, the apertured boss, which receives the rivet 20, serving as a pivotal support for the hooks 12 and 13.

Each of the hooks is provided with a plurality of ledges or shoulders 22 for cooperating with the upstanding flange 24 of the door arm to maintain the door in different positions of partial closure, the hook 12 being also fashioned with a main ledge or shoulder 23 for supporting the door in fully closed position. In Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings dotted lines have been drawn, lettered A to E, inclusive, indicating the various positions of partial closure assumed by the door when cooperating with the respective ledges of the hooks.

It will thus be seen that since the door may, at the will of the operator, be supported or maintained in a plurality of positions, discharge of lading, such as ballast and the like, may be effectively controlled or regulated.

The pivoted hooks 12 and 13 are preferably provided with suitable means for cooperating with a removable lever 25, shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3, for alternately moving the hooks into and Vout of engagement with the iiange 24 of the door arm. In the present instance the lever cooperating means is formed by fashioning hooks 12 and 13 with outwardly projecting lugs or eX- tensions 26 and 27 respectively, which terminate in substantially the same plane. When the door is in the position illustrated in Figure 1 and it is desired to permit it to assume a position corresponding to the line A, the lever 25 is brought into engagement with the lugs 26 and 27 as shown in that figure. Upon rotating the lever in a clockwise direction about the projection 27 of the inner hook 13 as 'a fulcrum, theV hook being supported in this position by engaging with the inwardly projecting lug 28 formed on the inner surface of the cover plate, the outer hook will be raised from supporting cooperation with the door, thus permitting the door arm to move into engagement with the first ledge of the inner hook.

When the lever 25 isremoved, the outer hook 12 will move downwardly under the influence of gravity until a portion thereof between its main door supporting ledge 23 and the next adjacent ledge engages with the upper edge of the flange 24 of the door arm. The position assumed by this hook when the door is supported by the first ledge of the inner hook is similar to that shown in Figure 3.

Should it be desired to permit a greater quantity of lading to flow from the car, the removable Y lever 25 isremployed in the manner disclosed in Figure 3. When in this position the lever is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about lug 26 of the outer hook as a fulcrum raising inner hook 13 by seating againstits projection 27. Rotation of the lever being continued after the release of the inner hook 13 from the door arm, the outer hook 12 is quickly forced downwardly, the portion of the latter intermediate its main and next adjacent ledge riding along the upper edge of the door arm flange 24 until the middle ledge of the 7 outer hook engages the door arm to maintain the door in a position corresponding to line B. This act of forcing one of the hooks upwardly and the other downwardly is, of course, a continuous and a substantially simultaneous operation. While the door is being supported in this position by the outer hook the inner hook engages the door arm flange 24in a manner similar to that of the outer hook when the door is maintained in a partial position of closure by the inner hook.

If a still greater flow of ballast is desired, the lever is operated in the manner rst described in permitting the door to swing from fully closed position. It will thus be perceived that this manner of operating the hooks may be continued, permitting them to alternately support the door in hooks when the door is supported in fully closedA position, the cam being fashioned to overlap and coact with the upper marginal edges of both hooks. The apertured lug or boss of the cover plate 17 which receives the rivet 19 constitutes the pivotal support for the cam. The cam is preferably fashioned with an eccentric surface 30 having a plurality of spaced projections 31 disposed at unequal distances from the axis of rotation of the cam and they are so arranged that, when in engagement with the hooks, they are disposed on opposite sides of the line passing through the axis of rotation of the cam and normal to the cooperating faces of the hook. The projections being disposed in this manner effectively prevent the cam from accidentally rotating spreader or stiffening member 3, and the door mechanism shown is likewise but one of two einployed for supporting the connected doors on opposite sides of the car. Should it be desired to permit the doors to swing from fully closed position to fully open position instead of sustaining them in a partial position of closure, it is necessary, especially when the doors are being manipulated by only one operator that-suitable means be provided whereby after the hooks of one of the mechanisms have been moved into inoperative position they may be maintained in that position while the hooks of the other mechanism on the opposite side of the car are being moved into inoperative position. Otherwise, since the spreader and connected doors are not sufli-V ciently flexible to permit the door arm to move beyond the hooks of the mechanism first operated, one of the auxiliary ledges 22 of those hooks would, upon the release of the hooks of the other mechanism, engage the door arm and thus prevent the door from swinging entirely open. For maintaining the pivoted hooks in elevated or inoperative positions the inner and outer hooks are provided with upwardly projecting lugs 32 and 33, respectively, which are adapted to cooperate with the rotatable locking cam 29 when the Alatter is in inoperative position.

When the hooks are to be raised and supported in elevated inoperative positions, the locking cam 29 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction into a position similar to that shown in Figure 3.

A The hooks may then be simultaneously rotated lll() upwardly until their lugs 32 and 33 pass from under the adjacent portion of the cam, whereupon the cam is enabled to rotate further inA a counterclockwise direction so as to be engaged by the inner faces of the lugs and thus maintain the hooks in inoperative positions, as clearly shown in Figure 4.

As considerable force is necessary to eiect upward movement of the hook which is in locking engagement with the door arm when the door is in fully closed position, the cover plate 17 may be formed with an opening bordered by a marginal `flange 36 for receiving a removable prying lever (not shown); This lever is adapted to be inserted in the opening so as to extend under both hooks so that when it is operated in the proper direction to pry the hook which is in engagement with the door arm both hooks will be moved simultaneously. Since the inner hook, when the door is supported in fully closed position, is not in engagement with the door arm and may therefore -be quite easily moved by hand into inoperative position it is usually more advantageous to move the hooks independently instead of simultaneously into inoperative positions. 'Ip-accomplish this, however, it is necessary that the means for maintaining the hooks in inoperative positions be so formed that when the hook last to be rendered inoperative is moved into that position it will not effect the release of the hook iirst rendered inoperative. This may be conveniently accomplished, as described and claimed in Patent No. 1,867,789 of July 19,` 1932, by arranging the lugs and the 'portions of the camcooperable therewith so that the portion of the lug on the inner hook overlapped bythe cam is greater than the portion of the lug on the outer hook overlapped by the cam. In Figures l to 4, inclusive, lthe cam is provided with portions 34 and 35, the portion 34 being cooperable with the lug of the inner hook and being of greater depth than the portion which cooperates with the lug on the outer hook.

Thus after the inner hook'issupported in the elevated position shown in dotted lines, in Figure l, it will be appreciated that although the outer hook, upon being raised, will induce rotation of the cam in a clockwise direction it will not cause portion 34 of the cam to move out of engagement Awith lug 32 of the inner hook due to the relative difference of extent between portions 34 and 35 of the cam. After theouter hook has been rotated so that lug or projection 33 passes beyond thecooperating portion 35 of the cam the inner hook will rotate downwardly under the iniiuence of gravity, moving the cam in a counterclockwise direction until'the opposite ends of portions 34 and 35 `respectively engage portions of the filler casting 14 and the cover plate 17. When the cam `moves into this position portion 35 thereof will :be disposed in the path of movement of ,lug 33 of the outer hook and ,thereby maintain the hook in an inoperative position. The relation of parts, when both of the hooks are rendered inoperative, is clearly shown in Figure 4.

The projections 32 and 33 of the hooks and the cooperating portions of the cam are so arranged and proportioned that they will only coact to maintainthe hooks in elevated positions when the latter are rotated to an extent much greater than that necessary toY successively support the \door in different positions of partial closure. In-

stead of forming the portions 34'and 35 of the cam in the manner described to prevent the outer hook, when moved to inoperative position, from causin'g'the cam to move from engagement with lug 32 of the inner hook, the projections or lugs may be ot unequal length as illustrated in Figure 5.

As clearly shown therein, the portion 38 of the cam which cooperates with lugs 39 and 40V is substantially uniform-while thelug 39 on the inner hook is of greaterheight than lug 40 onv the outer hook, thus accomplishing the same function as performed by the portions 34 and 35 of the cam illustrated in Figure 4. i

The cover plate 17 is preferably formed with an extension 4l having an aperture 42 for receiving a removable lever which may advantageously be employed for forcing the door rom any one of the partial positions of closure to fully closed position.

`I claim:

l. In a railway ear having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to 'its 2. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door beingmovable to open position under the iniluence of gravity, of mechanism operatively associated with the door for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving a plurality of relatively movable members, said members being arranged to alternately support the door in different positions oi partial closure and to move into operativepositions under the inuence of gravity.

3. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism operatively `associated with the door for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving a plurality cf relatively movable members adapted to alternately maintain the door in a plurality of partially closed positions, said membersbeing arranged'so that upon movement of one of said members t0 inoperative position the other of said members will maintain the door in a position of partial closure and one of said members being arranged to support the door in iullyclosed position.

4. In a railway car Ahaving a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the inuence ofv gravity, of mechanism for regulating the discharge of lading from the car involving movably mounted means and xedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car bodyand the otherby the door, said movably mounted means comprising a plurality of members alternately engageable with said iixedly mounted means for successively sup,-

porting the door in a plurality of positions of parmeans being carried by the car body land the 15,3*

other by the door and one of said means being -fashioned with a plurality'of ledges engageable with the other of said means for successively supporting the door in a plurality of positions of partial closure, said pivotally mounted means comprising a plurality of members alternately movable into and out of engagement with the other of said means.

6. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a. hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the iniluence of gravity, of mechanism for regulating the discharge oit' lading from the car involving a plurality of hooks pivotally mounted on the car body and a member xedly mounted on the door, one of said hooks being fashioned with a plurality of ledges and the other of said hooks having a ledge normally disposed intermediate said last named ledges, said hooks being alternately movable into engagement with the member on the door to successively support the door in different positions of partial closure.

'7. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for regulating the discharge or lading from the car involving a plurality of hooks pivotally mounted upon the car body and an arm rigidly secured to the door, said hooks being fashioned with a plurality of ledges, the ledges of one hook being normally disposed intermediate the ledges of the other hook whereby said hooks may be alternately moved into engagement with the Vdoor arm to successively support the door in a plurality of positions of partial closure, one ledge of one of said hooks being adapted to support the door in fully closed position.

8. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to Vopen position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for regulating the discharge of .lading from the car, said mechanism involving movably mounted means andxedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said movable means comprising a plurality of members alternately engageable with said iixedly mounted means for successively supporting said door in a plurality of positions of partial closure, each of said movable members having a portion cooperable with a removable lever for moving one of said members to door supporting-position and the other of said members to door releasing position.

9. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for supporting the door in a plurality of positions of. partial closure whereby the discharge of lading from the car may be regulated, said mechanism involving movably mounted means and xedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car bodyV and the other by the door, and means including a remov- A mechanism for maintaining the door in a pluralthe discharge of lading from the car, said mech- Yanism involving movably mounted means and lxedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said movably mounted means comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, and means including a removable lever for alternately moving said members to inoperative position to enable said door to successively assume different positions of partial closure.

1l. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for maintaining the door in a plurality of partial positions of closure for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving movably mounted means and xedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said movably mounted means comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, each of said members having portions alternately serving as a fulcrum and a seat for a removable lever whereby upon operation of the latter the door is permitted to successively move to different partial positions of closure.

y l2. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for maintaining the door in a plurality of partial positions of closure for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving pivotally mounted means and xedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said pivotally mounted means comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, and means operatively associated with said pivotally mounted means for supporting one of said members in inoperative position.

13. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for maintaining the door in a plurality of partial positions'of closure for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving pivotally mounted means and xedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said pivotally mounted means comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, and rotatable means engageable with one of said pivoted members for locking it in door supporting position, both of said pivoted members having portions engageable with the rotatable means when the latter assumes' an inoperative position to support said pivoted members in elevated position.

14. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing theopening, said door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for maintaining they door in a plurality of partial positions of closure for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving pivotally mounted means and xedly mounted means, one of said means being carried by the car body and the other by the door, said pivotally mounted means comprising a plurality of relatively movable members, and rotatable means simultaneously engageable with said pivoted members for locking them in door supporting position, said pivoted members having portions adapted to simultaneously engage said rotatable means when the latter assumes an inoperative position to maintain said members in elevated positions,

15. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the iniiuence of gravity, of mechanism for regulating the discharge of lading from the car involving a plurality of hooks pivotally mounted on the car body, said hooks being adapted to alternately cooperate with the door to maintain the latter in successive positions of partial closure.

16. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being movable to open position under the inuence of gravity, of mechanism for maintaining the door in a plurality of positions of partial closure for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving a plurality of hooks pivotally mounted upon the car body, said hooks being alternately engageable with a portion of the door, and means including a removable lever for actuating said hooks to enable the door to successively assume diierent positions of partial closure.

17. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a hinged door for closing the opening, said door being movable to open position under the iniiuence of gravity, of mechanism for regulating the discharge of lading from the car, said mechanism involving a plurality of hooks pivotally mounted upon the car body and an arm rigidly secured to the door, said hooks being adapted to alternately engage said arm to' support the door in a plurality of positions of partial closure, and means engageable with both of said hooks for maintaining them in elevated inoperative positions.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

